


A Shared Smile

by BurningFox6



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), F/F, Femslash February, Femslash February 2021, Rarepair, Red Head Redemption, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-28
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:53:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29760615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BurningFox6/pseuds/BurningFox6
Summary: Mahiru had never met someone as embarrassingly lazy as her before, and she can't just stand idly by. She starts trying to get the girl to change herself... and comes to find there's things they can both improve on. Together.
Relationships: Koizumi Mahiru/Yumeno Himiko
Kudos: 1





	A Shared Smile

**Author's Note:**

> **Was hoping to have more of this done, but it's been a busy month. So I'll drop the first part now, and add the conclusion ASAP. Any chapters after that will just be cute little one-shots between the two.**
> 
> **A friend and I came up with this pairing on a whim, and were surprised to find how well they worked together. A shared love for smiles, Mahiru's hardworking personality helping Himiko be a bit less easygoing and vice versa... plus, they're adorable. I like the pair a lot now, but it's so rare I haven't seen ANY content with them. That was something I had to fix. Here's hoping someone else comes to enjoy the pair!**

How had Mahiru ended up in this position?

Oh, she knew exactly how. She’d forced it on herself.

The Fall School Festival had rolled around again, the fun little annual affair where everyone set up stalls and displays to show off their growing talents and have a bit of fun. As always, Mahiru took a more active role showing hers – going around, taking photos of everyone, and handing them out to their subjects afterwards so everyone could keep that day in their memories.

That was how she’d first seen her. She was up onstage.

Mahiru couldn’t recall seeing her at any other festivals. Maybe she’d just never registered in her mind. It was entirely possible that, unbeknownst to her, the other girl had been too lazy to show up or perform before. But when Mahiru stepped up to the edge of the audience to photograph the next spectacle, she’d definitely remember her after that.

She had red hair like hers, Mahiru noted that first since it was a rarity. The second thing she noted was she’d drawn quite a crowd. A lot of their fellow students conglomerated around her, chattering and humming. Mahiru prepped her camera and held it to her face, deciding she’d watch the show through her lens while she took some shots.

Mahiru wouldn’t call herself particularly prone to wonder and awe… but when the show finally got started, even she fell under the performer’s spell. It was like the magician bent reality to her whims, summoning cards and doves and all manner of other goodies from thin air. She could spew fire and make herself vanish, summon things to herself and make predictions that were borderline psychic. Mahiru found herself taking a few more pictures than usual in hopes she could go back and look at them later to see if she could figure out how she pulled off her tricks.

Perhaps the greatest thing about the show was the effect it had on the audience. Smiles, smiles on every face. Even tiny little smirks from the more dour folks sprinkled amongst the crowd. When Mahiru spotted all those gleaming grins, she swiveled, making sure to pace around the crowd and grab a few photos of them as well.

When the show came to an end, the crowd applauded, Mahiru clapping her hands as well. It was no doubt all smoke and mirrors, but the girl had enough talent and fervor to make it all seem like real magic. With a final bow, the performer left them all with a wave and the audience began to disperse back into the festival.

After that, Mahiru slipped back into the festival for a while, continuing her duty. But the magic show was always at the back of her mind.

Later, when the event was wrapping up and people were starting to take their stalls down, Mahiru found herself near the stage again. And there, lounging in a folding chair with her hat over her face, was the magician.

It was strange to see her so listless after her performance earlier, but Mahiru didn’t think anything of it. Instead, she decided she’d step up and tell the magician what she thought of her show, as well as offer her some photos of it. She crept up to her, trying not to take her off guard.

“Miss?” she began. No response. She cleared her throat. “Miss.” Still nothing. There’s no way she’d managed to pass out with all the hustle and bustle around, so Mahiru finally nudged her foot with hers.

“Nyeh…?” As if the prodding had freed her from some kind of spell, the girl lifted her hat juuust enough to peer at the intruder from underneath it. “What is it?”

“Uh… hey,” Mahiru greeted with a wave, noting the girl’s glare was both sleepy and annoyed. “I just wanted to say how great your show was earlier. I couldn’t look away once you got into it… and the audience was just as stunned. You’re very talented.”

For a second, the girl’s lips curved upwards. Then she promptly deflated, dropping her hat again. “Thanks.” And that was it. Short, succinct, abrupt.

“Wait!” Thankfully Mahiru didn’t have to touch her this time to stir her. “I’m a photographer,” she explained, holding her camera out for emphasis. “I also wanted to see if you’d like some shots I took of the show…?”

The magician stared blankly. “Do I gotta do anything for them?”

“Uh… no? I guess just give me a name and tell me where to send them.”

“Himiko. Annnnd… my room. Just shove them under the door or something.”

Himiko. Well, she knew her name now, but she wanted a direct delivery? Mahiru knew her hard work deserved better than to be roughly pushed under someone’s door. Her strange actions and words were starting to make something feel off. “…You can’t be serious. Don’t you have some sort of mailbox in the main building? Or a classroom I can leave them in?”

Himiko shrugged. “Those are too far. My room’s fine.”

Mahiru’s brow set in disbelief. For someone who’d been so lively on stage, the magician was starting to look really lazy. Now Mahiru was starting to get annoyed. “On second thought, I might be too busy to deliver… you come get the pictures.”

The other girl was quiet a moment. “Ehhhh… I don’t want them anymore. Too much effort.”

Mahiru gaped. She just… had no words. She’d never met someone so disgustingly slothful, not even her own lazy father. As someone who worked hard in all she did, seeing someone who couldn’t even walk for five minutes left her speechless. It took her a moment to finally say the first thing that came to mind.

“Come on. You’re better than this.”

“Am I?” the mage wondered aloud, sounding genuinely curious.

“You are! When you were up onstage, it was like you were a different person.”

“No, I’m pretty sure that was still me.”

“It’s a metaphor. Look…” She bent down to show Himiko her camera screen, scrolling through the photos of her awed audience. “You did this. You made everyone so happy. And then you get offstage and you’re…”

“I’m?”

“Lazy as sin.”

Seeing everyone’s smiling faces seemed to make Himiko happy as well – but not enough to change her act. “Nyeh. Using all my magic onstage takes a lot out of me. I’m just resting a little.”

“The show’s been over for two hours.”

“It’s a LONG recharge.”

Mahiru pinched the bridge of her nose. Unbelievable. If she were less interested in helping people improve, she could just do as she asked, shove some photos under her door, and wash her hands of this weird woman.

But she was, to the point where some might call her a nag. Underneath the disappointment Himiko was filling her with, there was pity. To think someone capable of miraculous feats could be so sluggish…

She wasn’t going to stand for it.

“I’m going to help you.”

“Ooooh… so you’re going to bring me the pictures?” Himiko asked.

“No. I’m going to motivate you until you have the energy to get them yourself.”

“I said I don’t want them anymore…”

“Too bad. This is about more than the pictures now.” Mahiru wagged a finger at her. “This is about getting you off your butt. Tell me where your dorm room is. I’m going to start coming over and getting you out and about.”

Of course, Himiko could’ve just ignored her, leaving her residence a mystery. Buuuut from the stern look she was getting, she could tell it’d just be less of a pain to fill her in. So she told her.

Mahiru repeated the room number in her head until she had it down. “Alright… I’ll stop by tomorrow.”

“With the pictures?”

“I’m holding onto them for now. Think of them as a reward for improving.”

It sounded like a pretty terrible reward… but Himiko didn’t have the energy to shoo her. “Mmmm… I could just teleport you away whenever you bother me. But that’d take a looooot of mana…”

Somehow Mahiru doubted she’d be getting teleported anywhere. “See you tomorrow, then?”

“I guess.” And without another word, Himiko lowered her hat again and was dead to the world.

For a moment, Mahiru watched her, wondering just what she’d gotten herself into. By then most of the other students had packed up – she imagined Himiko hadn’t even started, and would either leave her stuff here or be slowly transporting it across campus long after everyone had left.

Part of her considered sticking around to help out. But she still had people to talk to about their photos. So, finally, she turned to go. She had some planning to do.

* * *

It didn’t take her long to realize Himiko was completely delusional.

Well, not completely. But the girl definitely saw things differently, behaved at her own whims, and a pox on anyone who told her otherwise. 

She first became aware when she went to Himiko’s room early the next day, as promised. She rapped on the door, waiting patiently. Very patiently. After a good minute of silence, she knocked again, louder this time. It wasn’t until she kept steadily, firmly knocking that she finally heard someone groaning and shuffling towards the door.

When it opened, Himiko hadn’t even gotten dressed, looking like she was ready to fall asleep standing up in a tank top and pajama pants. “I’m uuuuup…”

“Hmph. We’re going for a walk, not a nap. Couldn’t you have picked something better to wear?”

“But it’s comfy… if you want me to be able to summon my clothes onto me, I’m gonna need at least a couple more hours worth of mana…”

She was going on about spells and mana again. “Uhhh… no, you’re not going back to bed just yet. And this whole gimmick’s going a bit far, don’t you think?”

“Gimmick?” Despite her eyes being closed, the annoyance in Himiko’s face was apparent. “What gimmicks? It’s magic.”

“…You’re aware your show ended yesterday, right?”

The mage crossed her arms, pouting. “If you’re gonna wake me up early just to try and insult my magic, I’m going back inside.”

“But…” Her magic WAS just tricks. But Mahiru realized arguing that would get neither of them anywhere. “Forget it. How about we walk to the cafeteria and get some breakfast? So you can, uh… recharge.”

Finally, Himiko’s face fell back to normal with a drowsy smile. “I guess going out early for food isn’t so bad… if you carry me there.”

“No.”

“Come oooonnnnnn…”

“No.”

“You’re mean…” Himiko finally shut the door behind her and yawned loudly, stretching. But when her arms came down… they wrapped around one of Mahiru’s. “Fine. But if you’re making me do this, the least you can do is keep me moving.”

Mahiru stiffened a bit, a slight bloom in her pale cheeks. “Uh… if people see us like this, they might get the wrong idea…”

“What kind of idea?”

This girl… she was either too tired to realize what others might think or too oblivious. Mahiru rolled her eyes. “Never mind. Just don’t fall asleep on the way there.”

“I might.”

“Ugh… you’re impossible.” But if this was the only way to get her moving, so be it. She’d meet her halfway. She’d just have to ignore the curious looks they got and pretend the girl’s head wasn’t resting on her shoulder as she led the way.

* * *

They didn’t make much progress that week. Any, really, outside of getting Himiko to dress appropriately. None the next week, either. Himiko was a stubborn nut to crack in many regards. Getting her to put more than the bare minimum into anything was a chore. Mahiru had long since given up on getting her to face reality. And the more they interacted, Mahiru realized the girl didn’t show her emotions much. To think, the girl grinning and spinning up onstage could be so melancholy.

Alongside their walks and Mahiru’s other efforts to get her moving, she started trying to get the girl to open up more, to mixed results. Mahiru was a collector of smiles as much as Himiko was a creator of them, but when the latter was offstage, her own smiles were a rare treat. Adding the mage’s grin to her collection – and she’d been snapped at enough to start calling her a mage instead of a magician by now – would be rather difficult.

Mahiru still wanted to help Himiko shape up, but as time went on, she started focusing less on forcing change and more on understanding how she got to this point in the first place.

Himiko didn’t talk about her past much, and when she did, it was more of her odd ravings. Something about a ‘Magic Castle’. When Mahiru asked her about her old school, she completely hushed up, often claiming everything she learned came from an old magical master. It was obvious from her avoidance that she’d had a rough time before the academy. Perhaps all the fantasy Himiko draped herself in was meant to deflect a crappy reality.

Things were starting to click. Himiko’s fatigue, her reluctance, her reservation… it was more a coping mechanism than anything.

But how to get her out of it? That, Mahiru hadn’t figured out yet.

In the meantime, she started to get to know her. Just like her magic shows, Himiko had a flair for the dramatic. She was big into soap operas and would often rave on about some show Mahiru hadn’t the faintest clue about. But it was one of the rare occasions she seemed energetic, so she didn’t stop her.

The mage also had a thing for sweets and low-effort meals. Mahiru would take them to a café and the girl would order a slice of cake for her meal, or ask for Mahiru to bring her some takeout on her way over. She insisted she made a wonderful magic powder that was sweet and sour, and Mahiru adamantly refused to try it. No doubt her poor diet wasn’t doing her any favors. Once or twice, Mahiru found herself begrudgingly cooking up a proper meal to bring over for her.

The girl was a mess, and Mahiru certainly wasn’t going easy on her. Even if she refused to change, Mahiru came over every day with some activity for them. A walk, a picnic, a local event, anything to get her out of her dorm. To her credit, Himiko always came along, if for no other reason than to keep Mahiru from ragging on her. But she never came out willingly.

Why was Mahiru still putting herself through this? She could just walk and let Himiko keep being Himiko. Maybe she was stubborn. Maybe she actually had hope she could make a change.

Or maybe, deep down, she was starting to enjoy seeing her.

Sure, she was absolutely infuriating to deal with at first. If Mahiru gave her an inch, she tried to take a mile. But in those downtimes between activities, when they could sit down and chat and Himiko tried to keep them resting as long as possible, she found their conversations fascinating.

Mahiru was a realist. The world was what she saw, what she recorded, and not much more. Himiko, though… it was like she lived in her own little world. Sometimes Mahiru worried Himiko was crazy and not just obstinate, but she enjoyed the little glimpses into the magic and wonder of the mage’s mind. She sometimes wished she could take photos of the world the way Himiko saw it.

The more they got together, the more Mahiru realized maybe she use a bit more rest, just like how Himiko needed the opposite. So lost in her photography, schoolwork, and other obligations, it’d been a while since she’d just been able to sit down and watch the clouds go by. In a way, she was thankful the mage was reminding her to take it a bit easier.

And she hated to admit it, but… Himiko had one of the cutest smiles she’d ever seen. But it always disappeared before Mahiru could snap a photo.

Their arrangement wasn’t going how she’d hoped, but she wasn’t going to give up. All Himiko’s resistances just made Mahiru all that much more determined to help her. She had faith she’d get through to her and Himiko would see she had her best interests in mind.

It was too bad Himiko wasn’t seeing it that way.

**Author's Note:**

> **The one good thing about not being done yet is you get to end on a cliffhanger. Hehe.**


End file.
